Use of various kinds of organic polymers having a silicon-containing moiety with a hydroxyl group or hydrolyzable group that is directly linked to the silicon atom (hereinafter, the moiety is referred to as a hydrolyzable group-containing silicon moiety) for sealing compositions or adhesive compositions are well known. For example, organic polymers having a terminal methyldimethoxy moiety or organic polymers having a terminal trimethoxysilyl group are widely used as raw materials of moisture curable compositions.
An example of known methods for producing an organic polymer having a terminal hydrolyzable group-containing silicon moiety comprises allowing a polymer having a terminal ether-type unsaturated group to react with a hydrogenating silicon compound having a terminal hydrolyzable group-containing silicon moiety in the presence of a VIII group transition metal (See the below Patent Document 1). In this example, trimethoxysilane is used as a raw material for producing an organic polymer having terminal trimethoxysilyl group. However, trimethoxysilane is quite unstable. Thus, trimethoxylsilane may cause disproportionation, to generate monosilane, which has a low boiling point and spontaneous combustibility. The trimethoxysilane is so dangerous for human bodies, especially for eyes that handling of the trimethoxysilane is difficult, and furthermore, it is unobtainable.
The following several methods are also known in the art. A first method comprises allowing a silyl ether to react with a hydroxyl group-containing compound in the presence of a Lewis base catalyst (See the below Patent Document 2). A second method comprises allowing silyl ether to react with a hydroxyl group-containing compound in the presence of a tin or titanium catalyst (See the below Patent Document 3). A third method comprises allowing a hydroxyl group-containing polyether to react with a terminal isocyanato group-containing compound (See the below Patent Document 4). The organic polymers having a terminal methoxy silyl group obtained by these methods, however, disadvantageously show viscosity increase during storage.
Patent documents 1: JP-58-132022 A
Patent documents 2: JP-60-188390 A
Patent documents 3: WO 02/068501
Patent documents 4: JP-9-124922 A